How to Save a Life
by jasmineice
Summary: Sequal to Take me Under. After their return from tour, Tommy and Jude are faced with inevitable and unforseen obstacles that could tear them apart once again.
1. Prolouge

This is the sequal to my story, take me under. Sorry it took so long for me to get it up on here. This is the prologue. I'll have the first chapter up soon. Remember, i love comments ) 

So without further ado, How to Save a Life

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**_Step one you say we need to talk  
He walks  
You say sit down it's just a talk  
He smiles politely back at you  
You stare politely right on through_**

_"Stop it!" she screamed. "Please just stop it!" He turned back to look at her and the wind rippled softly through his hair. This wasn't the boy she knew, the man she knew. Tears stained his cheeks and she knew they stained hers as well._  
****

**_Some sort of window to your right  
As he goes left and you stay right_**

_"Please," she begged, sobbed, pleaded. He stepped down and hugged her close to him. She clawed at the back of his shirt for a firmer grip and clung to him as tightly as she could. She wasn't going to let him leave her arms._

_"You were always the one who understood me," he whispered. "You were always my friend."_

_"I still am," she choked out._

_"No, because you don't understand now."_

_"Make me understand!"_

**_Between the lines, of fear and blame  
You begin to wonder why you came_**

_"You're a coward if you do this."_

_"You don't understand," he told her again. He was crying but she wasn't sure he was aware of it. "This will make it all go away, this will make it alright again."_

_"You're leaving us behind, you're leaving me."_

_**Where did I go wrong I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness**  
_

_"You will understand someday," he promised her. "It's just time. Everyone has decisions to make, crossroads where a path must be chosen. This is my path."_

_"This isn't a path!" she screamed. "You don't have to do this!"_

**_And I would have stayed up with you all night_**

_His eyes fixed on the ground for a second and he swallowed the large lump forming in his throat. Without another word of arguement he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and turned back. Her sobs were carried away in the wind, and with only a moment of hesitation and an apologetic look back at her, he stepped off the ledge._

_**Had I known how to save a life **  
_

_She lunged after him, grabbed at the spot where he had been only a moment earlier but grasped nothing but air. She screamed "NO!" at the top of her lungs but doubted anyone heard her, and if they did she doubted anyone cared. She fell back on the roof with a resounding thud and heard someone calling her name..._

She woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air, her fingers pressed to her lips as if she could still feel that last parting kiss. She looked to her right and saw who was calling her name. With a small sob she threw herself against his chest and he closed his arms around her, like he did every time she dreamt of that day. The nightmares wouldn't stop, the memories plagued her, the sight of him falling to his death was etched into her memory and it wasn't going to leave. She felt the warm arms of her lover cradling her as she cried, and she couldn't help wondering if life would ever be normal again.

**_How to save a life_**


	2. Homecoming

**11 months earlier**

"Home sweet home!" Speed called out. Jude sprung to life, immediately throwing the covers off herself and running out to the living room. She had been lying in bed dressed for hours, there was no way she could sleep with the promise of home so close. Speed laughed when she nearly ran him over trying to get to the door.

"Easy!" he said, holding her back. "We don't want to injure the welcoming party."

"Get out of my way Vincent!" Jude said excitedly.

"Do you wanna see everyone who's missed you are you just anxious to see Tommy?" Speed asked in a sing-song voice.

"I'm going to throttle you," Jude threatened. Speed just smirked and stepped out of her way, having risked his own personal safety long enough for his own amusement. Jude dashed out past him.

"Mason!" she squealed, jumping into the arms of the first person she saw. Mason laughed and squeezed her tight.

"Let me look at you!" he said enthusiastically and Jude stepped back, did a little spin and struck a flashy pose.

"Glad to see sulky girl's gone," Mason laughed. Quietly he added "Tommy really worked wonders on you."

Jude froze. "How did you-"

"Gay men are intuitive to begin with Jude, gay cowboys are downright spooky." He leaned in and whispered "Plus Speed called to give me the heads up last night while you and Loverboy were swapping farewells."

"God I missed you!" Jude laughed, hugging him again. Soon she was pulled away and mauled with greetings by Portia, Sadie, Jamie and Kwest. Kwest leaned down and whispered a "congratulations," in her ear and Jude smiled, knowing Tommy must have called him the night before to tell him the news. She only had time to thank him with her eyes before Patsy came up and attacked her from behind, sending them both toppling to the ground, laughing hysterically. Jude pushed Patsy off of her and Jamie helped them both up.

"Nice to see you to!" Jude said, choking up with laughter. It was so great to be back around all these people, it felt like home. Patsy had just announced she was gonna go surprise the guys with 3 months worth of missed noogies when the sound of a car door being shut broke through the excitement. Everyone turned and saw Tommy heading towards them, sliding his sunglasses over his eyes and walking with his usual swagger as if no time had passed at all. A mixture of emotions spread through the group. Mason, Kwest and the band all shared the same knowing smile as their eyes flicked between Jude and Tommy. Portia and Sadie looked pissed beyond all reason, Jamie looked confused and shocked as if someone had slapped him in the face with a wet fish, and Patsy simply donned a cocky smirk. She had never doubted he would come back, in fact she was the one who had kept Jude from going insane in the wake of his disappearance. After Jamie dragged her back from driving to Barrie, surprising Mason and getting wasted that is.

Jude's face lit up and she ran over to him, jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist like it had been weeks since she'd seen him and not hours. He laughed and fought to keep his balance as she caught his lips in a deep, hungry kiss. No one spoke or moved for what seemed like forever, though Patsy looked like she wanted to burst out cheering, but she knew Jamie probably wouldn't appreciate it so she refrained. Finally Portia cleared her throat, drawing the couple's attention back to reality. With a sheepish smile Jude slid down Tommy's side until her feet made contact with the ground, but still hugged his arm tightly with an almost goofy expression flickering in her eyes.

"Care to explain?" Portia asked, eying Tommy with increasing fury. Tommy opened his mouth to speak but Jude cut him off.

"He's back Portia," Jude said coolly. "And we're together."

"I gathered that much."

"Someone wanna tell us what's been happening the last few months?" Sadie asked. Kwest cleared his throat behind her and she whirled around quickly.

"You knew about this?" she demanded.

"Well...yea..." he stammered. "I mean I knew he was going after her..."

"Why didn't you tell me?! I would've stopped him."

"That's kinda why I didn't tell you."

"Sadie don't be like this," Jude cut in. "I haven't seen you in 3 months do we have to start out with a fight?"

"Your not the one I'm mad at," Sadie said coolly, pinning Tommy with a cool stare. Speed made eye contact with Patsy and silently begged her to interfere. He didn't dare get in between two Harrisons but he knew she would.

"Alright ladies!" Patsy said, stepping into the middle of the argument. "I think we can all agree Tommy was a dick. I mean he was a huge, dick. But OBVIOUSLY something happened in the past three months that made him a not-so-big dick in Jude's eyes...no pun intended there Quincy," she added as Tommy's eyebrows shot up. "Anyway, Jude's the one he ran out on in the first place, Jude's the one who spent 6 months in tears, Jude's the one who we all considered having commited-"

"Patsy!" Jude cut in but Patsy just continued.

"If Jude sees fit to forgive him and jump his bones I don't see why we all can't follow suit...with the forgiveness part." Jamie covered his face with his hands and tried to pretend he wasn't listening.

"Good to have you back Tom," Patsy said, clamping a strong hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Jude," she said turning to Jude who's eyebrows lifted immediately. "Call me later, we have a lot to talk about. Jimmy!" She said loudly, causing Jamie to jump. "Let's get out of here before you and hair boy over here have a caveman style who's horse is bigger throwdown." She linked her arm with Jamie's and led him away from the group. He just threw a helplessly confused look back at Tommy and Jude and let himself be whisked away.  
"She frightens me," Tommy muttered and Jude couldn't help but laugh. Sadie threw up her hands in frustration and grabbed her little sister's arm, forcefully dragging her away from the group. Jude let out a small sound of pain as Sadie released her grip and pushed her against the back side of the tourbus.

"You need to tell me what's going on, and you need to tell me now," Sadie commanded in a grave tone. "Why is he back? Why are you ok with this? What's been going on? Why the hell do Mason and Kwest know but your own sister doesn't?"

"I'm not the one who called them, and Kwest is the one who didn't tell you, so talk to him not me!"

"That's not the only question I asked you."

"Sadie...ok look, tonight you, me, Portia, and Patsy will have a girl's night. I'll tell you exactly what's been going on," Jude promised. Sadie looked reluctant but a desperate look appeared in her little sister's eyes that softened her up immediately. This was Jude's homecoming, she was finally happy, and she shouldn't to try to get in the way of that. Sadie gave a small nod of agreement and Jude turned to rejoin the group. The second she was back in sight Speed attacked her with a can of silly string, and the welcoming party began again.

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